Sweden is just one step away from completing the Cinderella story despite Hope Solo’s bold prediction that their style of play would not get them far in this tournament. They will face Germany in the gold medal match and will earn Sweden’s first Olympic soccer medal since the men earned bronze in 1952.
- Both teams were 1-1-1 in the group stage.
- Sweden has only won one game in regulation time at these Olympics.
- The Swedish women’s soccer team will earn their first ever medal today.
Sweden did not rest on their laurels after eliminating the United States in the quarterfinal and continued their dark horse run when they defeated the hosts Brazil in the semis after outlasting them in a penalty shootout. The Swedes countering, hang-in-there style has worked beautifully so far but could be exposed by the lethal striking of the Germans. Sweden has had to scramble in their own 18 far too much to survive against a team that has been so clinical at drawing penalties.
Germany got past the Canadians with a 2-0 victory in a very competitive game in their semi. If it weren’t for an early penalty drawn by the Germans, the match may have had a vastly different outcome. Sweden has bent but not broken through the elimination stages so far but will be in for possibly their toughest challenge so far against this talented German squad.
Sportsbook has Germany as the -165 moneyline favorite heading into the gold medal match and is offering a +450 moneyline for the upstart Swedes. The total is at two right now and the final score will really depend on how well Sweden’s tactics hold up. I can see the floodgates Sportsbook in this one and the Germans could pop two or three.
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | +1 (-155) | +450 | 2 (-125) OVER |
| Germany | -1 (+115) | -165 | 2 (-105) UNDER |
| Draw | +240 |
Odds as of August 19 at Sportsbook
